


The Capture.

by InfinitexJester



Category: Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic
Genre: Angst, M/M, Romance, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-06
Updated: 2013-03-06
Packaged: 2017-12-04 12:35:15
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,465
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/710844
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InfinitexJester/pseuds/InfinitexJester
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Judal and Hakuryuu conquer a dungeon together... but can Hakuryuu really trust the Magi? Set before Hakuryuu's appearance in the manga.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Capture.

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Endless Hole](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Endless+Hole).



> (This was a request from Endless Hole, who asked for some smut for these two. It took me a while but I finally got around to it. I don’t think it’s one of my best – I struggled a lot with writing Hakuryuu but I gave it a shot anyway!)

Hakuryuu couldn’t sleep, although here in this home that was never really his home, that was the least of his problems. He shifted under the blankets; gave in and threw them aside in disgust.  
Why should Judal’s words from earlier still be running through his head?  
Telling him that if he really wanted to have power... then he should do as his sister had done. He should conquer a dungeon. He’d thought of it before but had always found excuses why he shouldn’t do such a reckless journey. He was too young, too weak. Or maybe it was just that he was too damn afraid. Each of the excuses made him feel angrier at himself.  
A sudden shadow fell across the open hole of his window and moved; fingers automatically curling round the top of his spear handle, body forming a defensive posture. An attack? He didn’t trust his step father enough to rule out Kouen sending assassins in the dead of night. He fancied it only hadn’t been done sooner because he didn’t see Hakuryuu as a threat. He swallowed; tasted bile in his throat.  
Not a threat, am I?  
Then laughter, manic giggling he’d heard a hundred times before. So, it was only Judal. He relaxed his stance but didn’t drop his weapon – he didn’t trust the magi that much.  
“Oh, did I wake you?” came the sardonic drawl. There was a dark flickering in the air, rukh shifting the atmosphere in an oppressive way. Judal clung to that rukh or, it clung to him. Hakuryuu could never quite tell which. The magi slinked easily enough through his window; leant casually against the wall. His face was unreadable, the same sharp smile and wild eyes as ever.  
“I – I wasn’t asleep,” Hakuryuu said, but he watched in case Judal should attack. Seeing the wary gaze, Judal laughed and raised his bare arms up.  
“Look, no weapons! You know if I’d wanted to kill you, Hakuryuu, you wouldn’t have seen me coming.”  
“So, why are you here?” Hakuryuu asked and he was relieved that his voice was clear and steady.  
Hakuei’s words came back to him: A Prince must not show fear. You must be strong.  
Judal clicked his tongue in irritation. “You might be happier to see me, once you’ve heart what I’ve got to say. I want to go on a little venture. A little Dungeon venture. Thought you might want to tag along.”  
Hakuryuu’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Why? I’m sure there are better people. Koumei, perhaps.”  
Judal was shaking his head, stalking forward. He seemed to fill the tiny room with his presence; made it seem even smaller. What little light there was from Hakuryuu’s candle shone off the golf bands on his wrists and ankles, on his tanned skin.  
“Because I like you, kid. You interest me. So, I’m offering you this once in a lifetime offer. You come with me, let me have my fun in there... and you get to keep the spoils. Sounds good, yes?”  
Hakuryuu was instantly suspicious. “By spoils, you mean...?” He queried although he could guess what Judal meant.  
“Every dungeon has a djinn at the heart of it – rather tedious but you need to obtain it to get out again. I have no use for one at the present time – it’s the dungeon I want to see. So it’s yours, if you want it.”  
Part of him knew this was a bad idea – surely by taking Judal’s offer it would mean he wouldn’t be doing this all himself, wouldn’t really be obtaining the djinn off his own strength.  
And yet... he couldn’t really let this pass by. If I had a djinn... I do need that power. What choice did he have, really?  
“Well, do we have a deal?” Judal asked, holding out a hand.  
Hakuryuu nodded grimly and took it. Judal’s grip was firm and warm against his own. The magi held on a little too long, as if testing his resolve. Then he let go, jerking his head to the window behind him. His teeth shone in the moonlight, made them seem sharper and more pointed.  
“Let’s fly,” He said.  
******  
Hakuryuu hated heights. He’d never realised that before this night but it was with a mixed sensation of relief and nausea when his boots finally sunk into sand. He stifled the urge to throw up. Irritatingly, Judal seemed the same as ever and found his evident fear rather amusing too.  
“Are you going to stand there laughing at me all night or are we going to open this dungeon?” Hakuryuu wheezed.  
“Right behind you, kid.”  
He turned and yes, sure enough a towering pyramid loomed in the desert. He couldn’t see any visible entrance though and frowned.  
“How far are we away from the palace, anyway?” He asked.  
“Oh, we could have walked it. But, it wouldn’t have taken most of the night and I thought you’d want to save your energy.”  
Strange that a dungeon should be so close and he had not seen it before, had not even heard of it before. It must have been a relatively new one. But then, he reflected, he barely left the city anyway, so he wouldn’t have seen it. His fingers clenched nervously on his spear.  
“So, how do we get in?”  
Judal smirked and raised an arm, which glowed with an eerie light. “Watch a master at work, kid.”  
*****  
The place was a labyrinth. Literally, a maze of confusing corridors and doors which Hakuryuu had given up long ago trying to figure out. He hoped Judal’s memory was better than his because he’d absolutely no idea where they were, or if they were even moving closer to the heart of the dungeon.  
And scarier, were the creatures inhabiting the place. There were hundreds, everywhere they looked. Creatures he had never seen before with purple flowers crowning their heads, more limbs than he could count, all jabbering away incessantly. He even caught a few words here and there and was surprised to find he could understand them. He’d questioned Judal but the magi had merely shrugged.  
“It’s always like this. Things are different inside dungeons. Nothing makes sense. Pretty cool though, huh?”  
Hakuryuu didn’t think it was that great. Especially not when a loud booming sound echoed against the earthy walls, making them shudder. He didn’t know what it was, some kind of alarm perhaps, because the next moment those creatures which had previously seemed so benign, attacked. He yelped a warning at Judal but he needn’t have bothered – the magi was already on the move, ice shards flowing freely from his hands. He was unsettlingly fast and Hakuryuu was caught watching him for a second, until he remembered his own situation and drew his spear. At least they were small, each creature barely passed his waist but even so, there were so many of them. He found his breath coming faster as he lunged and parried, couldn’t waste time in wiping away the sweat dripping uncomfortably down his face. He stumbled a little, and one of the creatures jumped onto him, scrabbled up his chest. He cried out in shock and fear as the thing came closer, teeth with an oddly serrated edge filling his vision. And the creature’s eyes, bulging, popping almost with a frightening intensity that struck him as mindless.  
“Ren, Ren,” It gurgled, the noise crawling up it’s throat and Hakuryuu shuddered; tried not to cry because this monster was calling out his name and how the hell could it have known such a thing.  
A shining dagger of ice splurted suddenly into the creature’s side, knocking it off balance and to the dirt. It shrieked, high pitched and garbled and Hakuryuu moved away reflexively, crawling back on his hands and knees, as far away from the monster as he could. His eyes found Judal’s, locked onto them and then he took the hand that Judal offered to help him up.  
“Don’t listen to them, you idiot,” Judal reprimanded him. “These things will get inside your head, if you let them.”  
“They’re... mind readers?” Hakuryuu gasped out.  
Judal shrugged. “I don’t know; something like that, I guess. Come on, a few more and the pathways clear to the next room.”  
They fought on, back to back now, and Hakuryuu clenched down on his fear, ignored the wails they threw at him, words that seemed to hold far too much meaning for creatures who had seemed so innocent before.  
The next room was empty, thankfully and here they stopped for a second.  
“Catch your breath before we go on,” Judal said, pointedly and then he sat down, cross legged on the sandy tiled floor. His hands dipped into the bag he’d carried all that way and Hakuryuu saw the reason for it now. “What did you think I wouldn’t bring supplies? You can get stuck in these places for days, sometimes. And they don’t always have food in them that we can eat.”  
He passed some bread and a strange brown container over to Hakuryuu which turned out to be full of wine. It leaves a bitter taste in his mouth. He drank and ate gratefully – the fight hadn’t been long but he felt strangely drained of energy even so. Perhaps they had just creeped him out too much; he felt shaken.  
“You ready?” Judal asked when he’d drained the bottle and Hakuryuu nodded. He tried a smile, though it was distinctly crooked.  
“It can’t be any worse than the last room,” He said and Judal laughed, clapped a hand lightly on his arm.  
“That’s the spirit! See, you’re starting to enjoy it now, too!”  
But when they entered the next room, one much larger this time, it was empty. Bare stone walls and patterned rugs which covered the floor. Hakuryuu shifted uneasily and even Judal paused, glancing around suspiciously.  
“This doesn’t seem right,” Hakuryuu said. “Surely, there should be-“  
“Quiet.” Judal’s voice was harsh and abrupt.  
Hakuryuu took a step forward... and a harsh hissing sound filled the room. He jumped, looking around, seeing nothing just the same bareness and Judal’s confused expression. Tentatively, he took a step further and – the world exploded into flame around him.  
Hakuryuu panicked. No, not this. Anything but this. His hand went to the burn scar on his face and he collapsed to the floor; screamed and screamed and screamed. The rugs were all on fire around him but he didn’t care, just tried to hide the sight of the crimson fire everywhere around him. Instantly, it was like the last few years hadn’t happened – he was that scared little boy again in his old home, seeing his brother falling and dying around him over and over. Feeling his brother’s charred, black hand burning into his face, feeling the heat licking his skin, moulding it new.  
Then, miraculously he felt the heat vanish, a cold wind blowing past him and he dared to peek through his fingers. The fire was gone, smoke still weaving around him but, in its place instead were layers and layers of ice crystals, forming a solid block around him. Judal. Of course. For a second there, he had forgotten the magi was even there with him. Then he felt a hand roughly tousling his hair and he remembered to breathe again, big gulping gasps of air. He looked up, painfully aware of how his face must be streaked with soot and tears.  
“Get up, kid.” Judal’s voice was almost kind. For once, he didn’t seem to find Hakuryuu’s pain funny, not even remotely. Hakuryuu was too dazed to wonder at that, simply leant on the arm that was offered him, let himself be steered out of the cursed room. Only once the door was firmly shut behind them, did he start to come back to himself again, managed to peel that emotionless mask back onto his face. He walks on, his step gradually steadier – it’s another labyrinth and he breathes out in relief. This, he can deal with. He follows Judal deeper into the dungeon.  
*****  
They’re here at last, at the big marble doors, in the last room of the dungeon. Even Hakuryuu, so relieved at finally being there, lets a smile slip through. He can’t quite believe that he’s actually done it – that they’ve done it. Part of him wishes he had done it alone – but then another knows that he wouldn’t have made it past the room of fire, that unique place of torture for him. And maybe, he didn’t mind Judal’s company so much on the journey.  
Judal is stretching now, standing tall on his toes. The motion is almost catlike; the finely toned muscles tensing.  
“How do we open this thing?” Hakuryuu asked but Judal doesn’t seem to be showing much interest in the huge doors at all. His eyes open, body still caught, mid stretch.  
“Hey, you smiled! I saw that – you actually smiled! I’m impressed!”  
He hadn’t realised he’d been doing and tried to call up his normal sombre demeanour again. It didn’t come this time – was he just simply too happy in this moment? Regardless, the smile still kept its mark on his lips.  
“I’m allowed to be happy, aren’t I?” He asked, though he wasn’t sure if he was asking Judal or himself. “I... this... this could everything, like you said. Kouen won’t be able to ignore me any longer. I can –“  
I can avenge my family with the djinn’s power. It won’t bring them back... but it will help me lay them to rest.  
Judal put his arms down and danced forward a step.  
“Hm? It looks surprisingly good on you; that smile. You should try it out more often. Say... I don’t feel like finishing this dungeon just yet – not when I still have so much energy left to burn. Let’s have some fun first, Hakuryuu.”  
The tone had enough touch of menace in it that Hakuryuu has to raise an eyebrow in doubt.  
“Fun? I don’t – you really want to spar now? After all that?”  
He never knows when to give up. That grin on Judal’s face is definitely sinister now.  
“Sparring? Now, I never said anything about that.”  
His arms curl around Hakuryuu, trap him and before he can protest, Judal’s mouth is on his own, lips cool despite the heat of the dungeon air around them. He freezes; doesn’t dare to move at all. It’s no good – he still feels everything anyway. Judal’s tongue sliding over his own, bringing with it a slight taste of sweetness. The warmth of his body pressed against him – yes, he can feel that much through the fabric of his clothes. Judal is pressed so tightly he is under no illusions any longer about what the magi’s clothes barely conceal anyway. He remembers whispers, told by Kouha and Koumei when they thought no one was listening. Those scandalous jokes about the way Judal dresses, the word ‘whore’ so easily repeated from their lips. He’d never believed it, wanted to think better of Judal despite his reputation. After all, couldn’t looks be deceiving? But now, with Judal so sinfully close... maybe there was some truth to the rumours after all. And Gods help him but... he is a teenage boy after all, and even his will power threatens to dissolve away altogether as Judal’s fingers tangle through his hair, remove the ceremonial pin placed there.  
He gasps as he feels his hair falling loose, pulls away and Judal’s arms thankfully fall and let him free.  
“What was-? Why did you-?” He splutters. No words seem to fit his outrage. How dare he? How dare he!  
Judal is examining the pin between his fingers though and Hakuryuu foolishly raises a hand to where it used to be. Why had he taken that? It... he didn’t understand. Judal seemed to ponder it a moment longer and then he positioned the pin at a jaunty angle in his own raven hair. He grinned at the Prince.  
“What do you think? Does it look good on me?”  
Hakuryuu bit his lip. Dammit, it did look good on Judal.  
“Give it back,” He said softly and his hands were clenching his spear now. Judal took that in with an air of amusement.  
“Oh, so it doesn’t suit me then? That’s a shame. Maybe I’ll just break it, huh? Flimsy thing like this, it shouldn’t take much.”  
“Give it back!” Hakuryuu yelled and he’s moving now, charging without even thinking that it’s stupid to be so bothered over a simple decorative ornament. But Judal is pissing him off and it had been Hakuei who had given to him. Even if had looked good on Judal, he wanted it back.  
Judal moved, on dancer’s feet and the spear glanced harmlessly past him; slamming point first into the stone wall of the cavern. Hakuryuu felt the jarring shock from it reverberate up his arm and he hissed in pain. When he turned, blue eyes shining with anger, it was only to see Judal waving the item in front of him.  
“Relax. I wasn’t actually going to shatter it, stupid.”  
He threw the pin and Hakuryuu caught it, fingers scrabbling over the metal. Yes, it was fine, not damaged at all. He glared at the magi though still – that may have been typical behaviour from him but what had come before that – the embrace – that hadn’t been and he didn’t understand the meaning of it.  
“Are you just trying to mess with me?”  
The smile was an obvious affirmative and he cursed silently. Of course.  
“I don’t see why you want to waste your time on me. Go make fun of other people – don’t - don’t come at me like that.”  
Judal stepped closer and suddenly every breath feels loud and roaring in his ears.  
“Don’t pretend you’ve never thought about it. I didn’t think even you were that ignorant.”  
Hakuryuu looked away; has to. He can’t meet that burning gaze right now, the utter conviction there. Judal’s wrong – he hasn’t really thought about that, not in the way the magi means anyway. But this is Judal and about him, his thoughts are always muddled, chaotic mix. Half admiration, half loathing and maybe a dash of fear. Too often, it’s his admiration that wins through though, his respect of Judal as a superior fighter; at being so damn confident in everything. It’s the admiration that wins now too, which brings the telltale redness to his pale cheeks.  
“So, maybe I’m not but this is... I never thought – why me? Judal, why would you even want anything from me?”  
He can’t help but looked back at the magi then; try to gauge his answer. He expects something callous, something jokey – he doesn’t expect what Judal eventually says.  
“Because I see bloodshed in your eyes. When you think of your past. When you think of the future – a future where you hope to overthrow the Kou Empire. I see that and it makes me want you.”  
His voice is ragged and Hakuryuu knows he isn’t just making it up – the need is too clear there. He doesn’t understand though, can’t even begin to figure out how Judal’s mind works.  
“If you know ... if you know what I plan to do, why haven’t you told Kouen?” He breathed.  
Judal shrugged. “I have no real allegiance to him. I could as easy switch sides to you. I’d rather watch it all unfold... it’s more entertaining that way.”  
Switch sides? He hadn’t... no, he’d never even dreamed that Judal would ever do that but the thought sends a thrill through him. They had worked well together in the dungeon, hadn’t they? How much better could it be if Judal truly did side with him? Such an ally could make quite the difference in his struggle.  
But then, could he really trust him? It always was hard to tell when Judal was being serious or just playing more mind games. This could be just another trick of his, Hakuryuu knew. But... even still...  
Judal’s breath is hot by his ear.  
“Come on, won’t you play with me? I’d like to see you loosen up a little...”  
He feel’s Judal’s mouth, cool on the exposed area of his throat and his ability to think rationally leaves him.  
“I – I don’t know what to do. I – I’ll just... disappoint you.” He murmurs and then catches himself. When had he actually considered what Judal was saying as a viable option? Foolish.  
“You don’t have to worry about that,” Judal purred, hands passing down Hakuryuu’s body, loosening the sash, pinching bare skin. “I’ll make sure you have a good time.”  
How is Hakuryuu supposed to explain, that he isn’t looking for a ‘good time’ as Judal calls it? But words seem futile – and the magi would only laugh at him anyway. That Hakuryuu is looking for something markedly more permanent – and that is something he knows Judal would never give him.  
Even if Hakuryuu does want this, he has to admit that to himself now. That he is being far too easily seduced by Judal for it to be anything else. It isn’t love – that word died in his heart long ago and he reserves such things only for Hakuei, who he trusts. Affection? Maybe. It’s enough anyway, to submit to Judal in the suffocating heat of this dungeon, to be a little excited by the way those fingers run so freely over his body. To hold all of the magi’s attention for once.  
His body is sinking to the floor now, legs trembling.  
“Jeez, you don’t have to look so worried,” Judal laughs, passing a hand daintily over the burn scar. He shivers, expecting Judal to turn away from him, to show disgust but it’s the opposite. Judal seems almost fascinated by the mark and this enough for him to grasp his courage and initiate a kiss himself. It’s clumsy, teeth bumping slightly and he worries there’s too much saliva but still, it had been his choice this time.  
“Now, that’s more like it,” Judal smiled as he pulls away.  
Hakuryuu panics though when he feels his clothes being pushed roughly aside, his tunic eased open by nimble fingers. Instinctively, he moved; tries to get away. This is far beyond his comfort zone now and the look Judal gives him, the one that promised pain and pleasure at the same time did not make things better. Judal’s hands are quicker, catching hold of his wrists, legs pinning him down. He winces.  
“Judal, that hurts-“  
“Don’t try and escape then. It’s too late to stop now – I won’t let you.”  
There’s a definite threat there and Hakuryuu swallows.  
“Besides,” Judal continues and he wriggled a little on Hakuryuu’s lap. “You can’t pretend you’re not affected. I can feel how much you want me too. You may keep your face calm but your body gives you away too easily.”  
Another wriggle to prove his point and Hakuryuu yelped a little at the friction. His erection pressed uncomfortably against the tight fabric of his pants and Judal’s movements only make it worse. He tried to fill his lungs with air, to try to calm down and make his body behave. But such things are beyond his control now. Judal smiles, pressing close.  
“Come on, I want you to beg me. Beg me to take your virginity. Huh, I’ve never had a Prince’s before... you’ll get to be my First in that too.”  
Hakuryuu clamps his mouth shut; grits his teeth. It’s too humiliating, too intense, too much –  
“Beg,” Judal hisses, a heated whisper and Hakuryuu gives in, closes his eyes so he doesn’t have to see Judal’s triumph.  
“Please...” He whispered.  
Judal laughs, the noise deafeningly loud and he regrets his assent instantly. Surely, he should have tried harder? But it’s too late now. He keeps his eyes shut as he feels his trousers being peeled away, his boots pulled off too. It’s a moment of relief to feel the air where he’s most sensitive and he opens his eyes.  
He undressed fast, he thought in shock at the sight of Judal, naked. He can’t help but stare, knows it should affect him because of course he’s seen men’s bodies before – he grew up with brothers after all. But he finds it hard to tear his gaze away from those taut muscles, the angular hips. Judal’s body isn’t soft like a girls, but it somehow holds allure to him. Then that body is on top of him and if he couldn’t already see that Judal is hard, he can certainly feel it, nudging his chest. He isn’t sure what’s more distracting – that, Judal’s hazy eyes or the bare buttocks on his legs. Judal, at any rate, did not seem self-conscious about wearing no clothes, far from it. If anything he seemed even more confident now and Hakuryuu felt his cheeks heat again.  
“How are you not embarrassed?” He choked out. Judal looked honestly astonished by his question.  
“I don’t see any reason to be. Now, consider yourself lucky, kid as I’m going to take it easy on you. I don’t want to break you first time, after all.”  
“Br- break me?” Hakuryuu asks. But he never receives an answer, because Judal moves, lifts his over tantalizingly close over his erection, where he can feel the pain throbbing and then – down onto it.  
He gasps as he feels himself enter Judal; it’s hot and tight and still, he doesn’t understand. Judal must be as flexible as he looks though because there’s no tearing, his face a mask of pain even so. And yes, it’s tight but not too much and Hakuryuu wonders vaguely if Judal had done something before to make things easier. He’s grateful if so, because despite the painful squeezing sensation... it feels good. It feels even better when Judal starts to move, pushing himself up and down. Hakuryuu is embarrassed by the sounds he’s making, the moans he can’t seem to catch hold of but he doesn’t know how to stop. He is no longer in control and from the look of satisfaction on the magi’s face, Judal knows it. Has known it since they stepped into this dungeon. Still, there’s pain there too, enough to prompt Hakuryuu to check.  
“Does it – hurt? I – we should stop if-“  
Fingernails dig into his shoulders and Judal looks suddenly feral.  
“Don’t you dare stop.”  
Hakuryuu can’t help but be worried though. Judal’s older than him, bigger than him but surely, he can still be damaged? Judal doesn’t seem to care though, in fact seems to enjoy it as he pushes himself still deeper. His eyes are shut now, allowing Hakuryuu to examine that obvious abandon on the magi’s face. He can’t deny he’s starting to feel the same way himself, feel his body slipping ever more and more out of his control. Feel his pleasure rising like a fire crackling away. Judal’s movements are violent and it’s not long before it’s enough to tip Hakuryuu over the edge, feel himself coming inside Judal in a frenzied confusion of pleasure and shame. His body seems to have lost all strength then and it’s a relief when Judal comes a few moments later, though he feels even more defiled by the sticky stuff on his chest. He looks up and flinches when he sees a dark drop of blood staining Judal’s lips, dripping down his chin. Had he done that? Had Judal bit his own lip in the heat of the moment? Goodness knows it hadn’t been to keep quiet as he’d been louder than Hakuryuu. He watched with morbid fascination as Judal’s tongue darted out and caught the speck of blood, licked it away. It was both unsettling, yet oddly attractive. Like the way Judal stood, a smirk already fixed on his face.  
He dropped his own gaze, embarrassed – not wanting to see all too obvious signs of what they’d done. Hastily, he brushed the semen off his chest, faint nausea rising in his stomach. Did people always feel so... uncomfortable after sex? He wondered. But then, what had he expected? Judal to stay close to him, to look after him? The very thought was ridiculous. Yet, as he pulled his clothing back around him, looking up to see Judal had dressed just as swiftly as he’d undressed, he felt a stab of pain. What now?  
He almost didn’t register it when Judal turned around, the black rukh rising around him. His limbs refused to move anyway.  
“It was fun, Hakuryuu,” Judal said, his grin crooked. “And I do hate to have to end it this way – but I’m under orders to get that djinn, you see. And I simply can’t have you messing that up.”  
His scream is more from betrayal than pain as the ice explodes around him; shocking cold encasing his legs, his arms. It doesn’t freeze him completely, he realises. He knows how strong Judal is, knows he could easily freeze his body right through, could kill him at the blink of an eye with those deadly crystals. But the ice forms a prison instead – locks over his skin but not into it. Small consolation though as he knows he cannot break free. He struggles anyway out of stubbornness, tries to draw on his own magoi – but it doesn’t come. With a flash, he remembers the drink Judal had prepared earlier – had there been something in them? Something to block his power? He glares at Judal with hatred, yells at him but Judal is placid and calm for once.  
“It’ll melt soon. I’m not going to hurt you – not unless I have to. I needed someone to watch my back through the dungeon though – couldn’t think of anyone else but you. Kouen really wanted that djinn, you see.”  
“You’ll know better than to pick me in future,” Hakuryuu spat. “I’ll never, ever trust you again, you-“  
His insults are garbled and nonsensical – pain seems to have infiltrated his vocabulary too, distorting it. He manages one last parting shot as Judal turns to leave.  
“I should never have trusted you!”  
Judal doesn’t even look back, but his voice is monotone; lifeless as he replies.  
“No... you shouldn’t have. You have learnt at least one lesson tonight then.”  
The door opens in a flash of light and Judal vanishes inside.  
***  
It feels like days have passed since Judal entered the last room, but Hakuryuu knows it’s probably only been minutes. Each one is agony though, the ice numbing his senses. He’s almost pleased for it – he would rather be numb right now. He continues to struggle against the ice prison, but to no avail. If he ever gets out of this, he vows he’s going to take training even more seriously from now on.  
And then I’ll be able to pound Judal’s head flat, he thinks bitterly.  
There’s a crashing noise suddenly and dust starts to fall from the walls. Is that-? Is the place going to collapse around him? Of course... how could he have forgotten? Once a dungeon was cleared, it disappeared and everything inside went along with it. A new panic clenched his chest and he struggled even wilder.  
The door Judal had entered glowed ominously, but then crashed open. Hakuryuu stared with wide eyes at the familiar figure appeared, a gold lamp hanging from a loop on his pants. Judal nodded when he saw Hakuryuu.  
“Good, you’re still here. Come on, we’re getting out of here.”  
Part of him wants to yell at Judal for using him... but then another is relieved that he isn’t leaving him behind here. Still, he protests loudly as Judal waves a hand, shattering the ice on his limbs. The cold has done its work though and he can’t move, can’t even stand up. Judal sighs and lifts him easily, slinging him over one shoulder.  
“I hate you. I hate you,” Hakuryuu repeats but Judal just smiles.  
“You know, I meant what I said earlier when I told you I liked you, kid.”  
Hakuryuu barely heard the words though, took them for yet another taunt.  
“Don’t talk to me. You’re nothing but a common thief,” Hakuryuu spat.  
He hadn’t felt the rising in the air, not until he saw the night sky about them; knew that Judal had got them out of that dungeon after all. Then they were descending and he felt himself dropped from Judal’s arms onto the soft flow of sand.  
“Enjoy your walk back home, Your Highness,” Judal’s voice called out through the darkness and then he was gone, leaving Hakuryuu to his rage. He clenched his fists, digging nails into his skin and cursing.  
Stupid! Stupid! Haven’t I learnt by now not to trust anyone?


End file.
